Century-Old Jianbing Guozi: Tianjin's Street-Food Icon
When Tianjin hosts the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit from August 31 to September 1, the city won't just welcome world leaders—it will spotlight a pancake story nearly a century in the making.
CGTN Stringer launches a global series tracing the pancake's journey across SCO members. From the Chinese mainland to India, Türkiye and Russia, these thin wraps embrace local ingredients and traditions, proving that a simple dough can carry powerful cultural ties.
The tale of Tianjin's jianbing guozi begins on November 20, 1929, when Dagong bao (the Impartial Daily) first recorded the city's crispy-filled crepe. Fast forward almost 100 years, and this humble street food has become a symbol of regional pride and innovation.
Beijing's Kunqu Opera performer and folklore expert Zhang Weidong teamed up with Song Guanming of the Tianjin Jianbing Guozi Association to map the crepe's evolution in Beijing and Tianjin. Their storytelling reveals how shifting tastes and mobile food carts shaped recipes—from mung-bean batters and wheat starch layers to secret sauce blends that entice new generations.
Next time you unwrap a jianbing guozi, remember: you're tasting a slice of Tianjin history—a 100-year tradition of creativity, community and the universal love for a perfect, foldable pancake.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
